Plumbing and HVAC Career Apprenticeships For Northeast Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan

What is an Apprentice?

An apprentice is someone who will work with one or more mentors to learn a trade. In Gibson’s Heating and Plumbing’s case our apprentices are learning the skills set to work in the heating, cooling and plumbing trades. Our apprentices are treated as valued helpers/assistants. They be helping on from small to large jobs and eventually sent through an intensive immersion education program. The whole goal is to get our apprentices to a level where they can be preforming the smaller jobs on their own within a year or two.

What is the skillset or education needed to apply to become an Apprentice?

You need to be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or G.E.D. You also need to have a valid driver’s license, clean background check and pre-employment drug screening.

Mechanically inclined is also a must. Do you like tearing things apart to figure how they work? Do you enjoy the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects? Do you have experience working with your hands, and are good at it?

To be an apprentice you don’t need to be right out of high school and looking for a career. We have people who start in our apprentice program in their 40s who had careers working in the appliance, auto mechanics and other mechanically inclined jobs/careers.

What type of training is provided?

There are many different type of training paths available here at Gibson’s and it depends on your current mechanical and plumbing abilities as well as if you are geared more to our installation or service department.

If you are new to the heating, cooling and plumbing industry we start you out helping with our installation department. You get to learn how the whole heating and cooling system is put together and well as how to bend sheet metal.

If you’re headed for the service side we will also send you through an intense immersion program. Half of the time you will be in the classroom and the other half you will be in a lab setting. We also have you work with our technicians and receive some hand on learning.

We also provide regular training in house as well as through our suppliers’ warehouses. Your training path from apprenticeship to a lead installer or technician all depends on what you currently know and how fast you pick up new ideas.

How much money can I make as an apprentice?

This all depends on your past experience. Are you fresh out of high school and have no mechanical or construction experience? Or have you had jobs in the trades related to mechanics, construction or plumbing? Starting wages for our apprenticeships can range from $10 to $15 per hour depending on your experience.

How do I know if the heating, cooling and/or plumbing industry is a right fit for me?